Filner on Fletcher: "There's no such thing as independent."

Mayor on former opponent: "I'm proud that he finally found the courage to come out as a Democrat."

A year ago, former congressman Nathan Fletcher left the Republican party and declared himself an Indepdenent. "I'm leaving an environment that thrives on playing the game," he said at the time. "I'm leaving behind a system that is completely dysfunctional."

A few days ago, former congressman and former mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher joined the Democratic party. "I'm back in the game," he declared. "I refuse to label a system that embraces me for who I am and what I believe as dysfunctional."

Publicly, both Democrats and Republicans have responded positively to the news. But privately, the feeling may be more relief than celebration. "Frankly," said San Diego Republican Party Chair Eustace Grubb, "his status made people of both political orientations more than a little uncomfortable. Some of us thought he was just interested in playing for whatever team could give him what he wanted at any particular moment on any particular issue. Some Republicans found his occasional willingness to get into bed with Democrats morally disgusting. And some Democrats thought his hesitance to stand with them was cowardly, given how much they've suffered over the years in San Diego."

Indeed, Scott Louis over at Vocal San Diego dug up an old interview with then-congressman Bob Filner in which the longtime Democrat said, "There's no such thing as an independent politician, if a politician is independent, that makes him a Democrat. Don't try to re-term it or something like that."

Comments

Enough, already with Mr. Opportunist and the glossy corporate photos.
And you're joking, right, when you misspell the name of CEO Scott Lewis and misname his faltering online venture VoiceofSanDiego.org?